Con-Artist Compass

Top 10 Travel Scams and How to Dodge Them

By: Barnaby Sorrens

Narrated by: Awais Syed

Every trip should change your life—just not your bank balance.

You're standing in a sunlit square in a foreign city, mesmerised by the sounds, scents, and colours. And then it happens: someone hands you a bracelet “for free,” a taxi driver tells you the meter’s broken, or a police officer flashes a badge and asks to check your wallet. Moments later, you're lighter—either in cash or confidence.

Con-Artist Compass: Top 10 Travel Scams and How to Dodge Them is your essential companion for avoiding the darker side of travel. Written by seasoned globetrotter Barnaby Sorrens, this practical and witty guide reveals the world’s most common travel scams—from slick street cons to digital deception—and shows you how to sidestep them with ease and confidence.

Inside, you’ll uncover:

• The “Broken Meter” Taxi Scam: Why “no meter today” might cost you five times the fare.
• The “Free Gift” Trap: That bracelet or rose isn’t a gift—it’s bait.
• The “Helpful Stranger” at the ATM: How fake kindness empties real bank accounts.
• The “Fake Police” Ruse: What to do when an officer isn’t what they seem.
• The Wi-Fi Wreckers: When free internet costs you everything.

This guide is packed with firsthand accounts, real-world tips, and just enough humour to keep things light—even when the topic isn’t. Sorrens doesn’t aim to make you paranoid—he aims to make you prepared.

Whether you’re backpacking through Southeast Asia, road-tripping through Europe, or booking a luxury stay in Dubai, the same golden rule applies: if it feels off, it probably is. But recognising the red flags isn’t always easy when you’re navigating new cultures, languages, and currencies. That’s where the Con-Artist Compass comes in—to help you read the signs, trust your gut, and travel smarter.

©2025 Deep Vision Media t/a Zentara UK (P)2025 Deep Vision Media t/a Zentara UK

The Travel Guide Nobody Talks About—But Everyone N

This book covers what guidebooks leave out: how to protect yourself in unfamiliar places. It’s smart, funny, and full of clever ways to outsmart scammers. I’ll never travel without this knowledge again.

Every Traveler Needs This Book

I’ve been scammed abroad before, and I wish I had read this first! This book is practical, funny, and packed with real-world advice. It made me feel more confident and prepared for my next trip. Highly recommended!

Your essential travel guardian

This audiobook is a brilliant and essential pre-trip listen for any traveller. I particularly liked how the author, Barnaby Sorrens, breaks down the Top 10 Scams with a great blend of practical tips and witty humour. The descriptions of the "Free Gift" trap and the "Broken Meter" taxi scam were incredibly specific and immediately useful.

Scams demystified

I've been scammed before, and this book breaks down exactly how it happens. What I liked was the inclusion of contemporary digital threats, specifically The Wi-Fi Wreckers, which highlights when "free internet costs you everything." The book is packed with firsthand accounts and real-world tips for avoiding these deceptions. I recommend this to solo travelers or anyone booking a luxury stay in Dubai who needs to recognize that if it feels off, it probably is.

Think of It as Street-Smarts 101

Travel can be wonderful, but it also makes you vulnerable. This guide is like a crash course in street smarts for the international stage. Perfect for backpackers, honeymooners, or anyone stepping outside their comfort zone.